WALLACE — A Silver Valley woman had her charges dismissed as Shoshone County celebrated its first Idaho Law Enforcement Diversion graduate on Monday at the Shoshone County Courthouse.  

Last February, Patricia Cook was arrested and charged with felony possession of a controlled substance. She was offered an opportunity to enroll in the new ILED program rather than face a potential 15-year prison sentence.  

“In January of 2024, Shoshone County set out on and opened up the gates for the Shoshone County ILED program as an alternate treatment mechanism in this jurisdiction,” prosecutor Ben Allen said. “Ms. Cook was one of the very first participants to come through those gates after they opened. Ms. Cook had a number of years of controlled substance dependency that she had yet to be able to kick. ILED provided that segway for her to have the tools and resources necessary to pursue her sobriety.”

On Monday, Cook addressed the court. She was more than a year sober and thankful to have her life back on track.

“The ILED treatment has helped me out a lot,” Cook said. “I’ve got a place to live. I’m not on the streets. I’m glad I’m not in jail, because I didn’t want to be in jail. I feel a lot better about my body because I didn’t care about a lot of stuff, and now, I do. The program helped me out a lot.”  

As emotional as it was for Cook, many members of Shoshone County’s ILED team echoed her feelings as they spoke about how proud they were that she completed the program.  

Christy Miller, Shoshone County’s ILED case manager, choked up as she spoke on Cook’s dedication to the program.  

“Patty’s compliance was 100%,” Miller said. “She is graduating ILED sanction-free, no violations, which is unheard of. Not only because you’re the first, but I also conduct supervision of our pretrial release defendants and in comparison, she’s done remarkably. She’s done everything that I’ve asked her to do and has gone above and beyond, and I am incredibly proud of her.”  

Miller and social worker Jenn Porter were credited by Cook as being instrumental to her success, largely due to their ability to listen when Cook needed an ear. 

“Talking with Jenn and Christy helped me a lot. I didn’t have anybody to talk to because I was alone. I was alone over in Washington, and I moved over here, and I was still alone. They made me feel like I wasn’t alone.”  

Unlike many others, Shoshone County’s ILED program operates through the prosecutor’s office, after a person is in custody and following a referral. 

These referrals are made after an initial arrest, allowing defendants a period of sobriety in incarceration to reduce immediate relapse risk. Eligible defendants seeking treatment transition directly from incarceration to treatment without waiting periods, facilitated by a dedicated treatment provider in the courthouse. Additionally, a urinalysis testing center was established on site to streamline treatment and ensure accountability. 

Brandi Clark with the Idaho Department of Health and Welfare spoke about her work on ILED programs and why Cook should be proud of what she’s accomplished.  

“I’ve been working on establishing ILEDs throughout the state for the last five years,” Clark said. “This is the first of its kind. Ms. Cook, your graduation is a very special moment, not just for you, not just for your team, but for the state as a whole. You’re proving that this program works.”  

According to statistics from the Idaho Supreme Court, Shoshone County's treatment court program is one of 68 treatment programs across the state. According to Allen, throughout all of those programs, the success rate in 2024 was just 18%.

Before she officially dismissed the charges, Judge Keisha Oxendine addressed Cook and congratulated her on her success and expressed her admiration for her hard work. 

“It sounds, Ms. Cook, like ILED provided you with an opportunity for support and also helped you regain some of that self-esteem that you had lost. And certainly, I think that helped with your sobriety, otherwise you wouldn’t be here today,” Oxendine said. “I’m very proud of you. This certainly is not an easy road to address your sobriety and addiction head-on. You’ve done that.”